2021 east campus classroom and dry teaching lab approval process

It is critical that UIC provides the safest possible learning environment this summer and fall for students and faculty who will be returning to campus for in-person classes. To meet this objective and accommodate a much larger campus population, we will continue using the formal in-person classroom approval process we used this academic year and maintain requirements for hand sanitizer placement, social distancing and safety signage.

The approval process is described below. All units are highly encouraged to now begin the approval process for any classroom spaces that were not already approved for use in Fall 2020. This will allow adequate time to prepare these spaces in accordance with UIC classroom safety requirements.

Please note: Health Sciences colleges should continue to use the process for submission of classrooms previously developed with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs TEAMS site.

Procedure for East Campus General Use Classrooms

OVCAS will take responsibility for preparation of general use classrooms on the east side of campus. Revised occupancy numbers have been determined for these classrooms. OVCAS will install a sign outside the main entry door with revised occupancy numbers and will place a decal on seats or the floor denoting where students should sit to ensure appropriate social distancing. OVCAS will also post all needed signage and supply hand sanitizer for classrooms with revised capacity of more than 20 students.

Procedure for All Other Classrooms and Dry Teaching Laboratories Used for Courses (Non-Research)

The UIC Fire Marshal will assist you with determining the number of students allowed in all other classrooms and dry teaching laboratories to ensure appropriate social distancing. 

• Please provide the room numbers of classrooms you desire to re-open and photo(s) or a floor plan with furniture showing the desired room configuration.
• Provide a description and the dimensions of any moveable furniture you want to keep in the room.
• Submit this information by email to the UIC Fire Marshal.

After the Fire Marshal reviews your submission, you will receive an approved occupancy number and approved room configuration with an “x” indicating the seats which may be used. The Fire Marshal will also provide the unit with a revised occupancy sign that the unit must post at the main classroom or dry teaching laboratory door. Please note that at this time the revised classroom capacities will be approximately 25% of the regular capacity to ensure required social distancing.

If prior to the fall semester, the appropriate public health agencies allow classrooms to have more than 50 people or the CDC decreases the current six-foot social distancing requirement, you may request a revised occupancy number and layout from the Fire Marshal.

The unit is responsible for placing a decal on seats that are to be used or on the floor to designate locations where moveable tablet armchairs are to be placed to ensure the appropriate social distance between students. They should refer to the floor plan returned by the Fire Marshal to identify seats that require a decal.

Required Hygienic Supplies, Signage, and Writing Surface Tools 

Hand sanitizer must be supplied by the unit for all classrooms and dry teaching laboratories with a revised capacity of more than 20 persons. Units will be responsible for placing the sanitizer in their classrooms and dry teaching labs.

The unit is also responsible for obtaining and posting the following signage outside each classroom and dry teaching laboratory:

• Combined occupancy/social distance sign using revised occupancy number provided by the Fire Marshal
• “Hygiene sign – hand sanitizer” for classrooms and dry teaching labs requiring hand sanitizer.

We suggest that instructors bring their own dry erase markers or chalk; otherwise units must provide and then replace or sanitize these writing instruments each day. Units must supply materials to erase markerboards or chalkboards and replace and/or sanitize them each day. Instructors should apply hand sanitizer at the end of their class if they touched unit-supplied markers, chalk, spray bottles or erasers.

Requirements for High-Touch Surfaces

The unit is responsible for daily cleaning of the audio-visual equipment in their classrooms and dry teaching labs, including microphones, lectern surfaces, computer keyboards and mouses, projector remote controls, or other shared equipment used in teaching.

Facilities Management building service workers will clean high-touch surfaces in all classrooms daily, including door handles, light switches, marker ledges. Units must provide disinfectant supplies in their classrooms so faculty and students can clean the surfaces where they sit.

Questions

If you have any questions about the classroom approval process, please contact the UIC Fire Marshal at firemarshal@uic.edu.